We live in a society where an entire generation in a large part of the developed world has grown up with fast fashion at a time where resources are starting to become a focal point. How do you plan for what is coming?

The fashion industry largely relies on products that use precious resources such as large amounts of land, water or oil for its source materials.

The impact that the growing, pest-protecting, watering, bleaching and dyeing of crops for the fashion / textile industry has on us and the world we live in can at the very least be called significant. The emphasis on ‘natural fibers’ does not always result in a good situation for nature itself.

The lack of recycling of oil based clothing products such as those containing polyester and polyamide means land-fill dumps contain increasing amounts of material that could and should have a second and third life. Clothing also competes with the growing bottled water / drinks market for raw materials which sometimes manifests itself in longer lead-times and increases in pricing of yarn.

Dyeing and other treatment methods often reflect the pressure that is put on price, with entire rivers in for instance the once glorious Pearl Delta permanently damaged by the garment industry.

Legislation is starting to reflect the issues faced, recognizing that an industry that clothes a growing population is worth at least as much legislative attention as the one that feeds this population. This will only get firmer as time goes on.

Consumers are being educated by early adopters about green policies and ecologically friendly sourcing. Transport and supply chain are also becoming more significant factors in the story. Local produce is starting to win fans in food. Fashion is sure to follow, albeit later and in a different way than usual (with possibly the supermarkets and convenience stores bringing the real muscle to the table).

Greener methods in the short term means use of efficient transport methods, methods of design that allow recycling of these resources, choices of base materials that have been selected for suitability as well as sustainability, lower energy consumption or switching to alternative energy sources, streamlining processes and so on.

People often think that going green is expensive. When greener development is done well you can save money and increase efficiencies. These are nice side effects to have on top of the potential image enhancement and easier process of complying with future legislation requirements.

Ask us to review your current situation. We would strive to identify how your sourcing, development and supply chain methods could give you and your customers the benefits of economically attractive greener products.

Reducing your impact will be good for all of us, our children and of course your shareholders.